Ice Nine Kills – ‘The Silver Scream’

Peanut Butter and Jelly; Bread and Butter; Horror and Metal. Horror movies and metal go hand in hand- always have, always will. Boston’s Ice Nine Kills have taken this connection a step further with their new album The Silver Scream, which is a tribute to some of the biggest names and films in the horror genre. Each song is inspired by one of the greats.

The album is star-studded, as the band gets by with a little help from their friends in Less Than Jake, Felix TX, Finch, and even former band member Jeremy Schwartz on features throughout the album. October is the month for watching scary movies and gearing up for Halloween and this album fits that bill perfectly. Let’s take a look at each track and the inspiration behind it!

“The American Nightmare” – Freddy Kruger (Nightmare on Elm Street): Solid guitar riffs. Great use of spoken word and screams in verses as well as a really cool transitions that features chaos on the guitar with deep distorted vocals and high, clean vocals in unison. The chorus is engaging and has massive appeal. And of course, in true Freddy Kruger fashion, there are children chanting eerily.

“Thank God It’s Friday” – Jason Voorhes (Friday the 13th): Gives the feeling of a slasher movie. The absolute chaos and fury of the drums during the verse give almost a sense of panic, while the quotes from Mrs. Voorhes herself give the song a unique horror appeal.

“Stabbing in the Dark” – Michael Myers (Halloween): Starts with faint music box chimes in the background before absolutely exploding into a frenzy of screams, dueling guitar riffs, and orchestral power. The lyrics “day after day, knife after knife” stand out as chilling and absolutely perfect for the subject matter.

“Savages” – Leatherface (Texas Chainsaw Massacre): This is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It has a good feel and a driving beat. The group chanting gives an eerie feeling to the cult-like subject matter. The song is driving and showcases excellent guitar work.

“The Jig Is Up” – Jigsaw (Saw): One of the heavier songs on the album, you can definitely hear the inspiration from the Saw movies. From the intro that has chilling melodies of the movie to the low distorted vocal that is reminiscent of the clown on the tapes. And who could forget the lyric “Do you want to play a fucking game?!” The song also has one of the more engaging choruses on the album.

“A Grave Mistake” – Eric Draven (The Crow): The lead single on the album may also be my favorite track. Based on one of my favorite cult classics of all time, this song is at times a sad ballad with heavy tones of revenge and a harder chorus that reflect the themes of the movie perfectly.

“Rocking the Boat” – Jaws (Jaws): This song is one of the catchier tracks on the album. The guitar riff throughout is well done and the song has a great energy. The “distress calls” are fun, but the coolest part of this track is the breakdown highlighted by an homage to the “Jaws” theme.

“Enjoy Your Slay” – Jack Torrance (The Shining): This song has a chilling verse line befitting of the Stephen King classic. The breakdown is emphatic and highlights the films best quotes- “I’m not gonna hurt you, I’m just gonna bash your fucking brains in”. The children whispering “Come play with us is a good touch”. This song is a lot of fun.

“Freak Flag” – Papa Jupiter and Family (The Hills Have Eyes): This is probably the best standalone track on the album. It is heavy and has driving riffs and the references are much more subtle. The chorus is engaging and has a cool anthem feel. The only thing missing here is the obvious opportunity for a nod to Rob Zombie, who recently remade the classic films.

“The World in My Hands” – Edward Scissorhands (Edward Scissorhands): The lyrics of this song tell a great backstory of this cult classic. It’s no mistake this song has a more goth punk/emo feel that fits right in with the culture of those who have embraced this film for two decades as well as an homage to Tim Burton’s eerie universe. The bells in the background give the illusion of snow and the wintertime feel of the movie. This is another track that has legs on its own without being attached to the album’s theme.

“Merry Axe-Mas” – Billy Chapman (Silent Night, Deadly Night): This song is a lot of fun. From the classic holiday bells and familiar melodies, coupled with references to Santa and Silent Night and even a brief sample of Jingle Bells, it incorporates the holiday feel of the original movie, without being quite as corny as the classic film. One of the heavier tracks on the album, it is unrelenting from the beginning to the end.

“Love Bites” – David Noughton (An American Werewolf in London): The howl from the onset makes this one obvious. This song is heavy and dependent on the theme. The female vocal feature from Chelsea Talmadge adds to the telling of the story.

“IT is the End” – Pennywise (IT): Saving the best for last is always a good idea. The title of this song is appropriate for not only the theme but also as the finale of the album. The song is sung from the perspective of Pennywise the clown. Like the devils favorite clown, the song starts off sweet and engaging and then explodes into horror and fury. From bike horns to a feature with Less Than Jake, this song puts the bow on a fun, unique album.

The new album from Ice Nine Kills, The Silver Scream, is available everywhere now via Fearless Records!